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Byrdie / Brian Kopinski
If you’re looking to make a wardrobe investment, might we suggest jewelry? Between Etsy, Instagram, and a slew of e-commerce websites, there are plenty of options to buy jewelry online, in a space that can take you from Milan to London and beyond to source the best baubles for you. At the same time, the internet can make it difficult to tune out the noise and find what truly resonates with you.
So, we decided to round up the best online jewelry stores in numerous categories to help you focus your search efforts. We evaluated sites based on their variety, customer service, whether they offer stones with GIA certification, and ease of navigation. We also collected editor recommendations and insights from jewelry experts Victoria Lampley Berens, founder of jewelry consulting firm The Stax Advisory, and Laurel Pantin, ByGeorge's editor-at-large. For an introduction to some names worth knowing in the industry, plus the best online jewelry stores, read on.
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Sophie Buhai's clean and contemporary approach to designing jewelry essentials makes her a top pick. Based in Los Angeles, she designs with silver, gold, and precious stones. The cost of most of her pieces falls under $700—not a steal but also not exorbitant given the quality and versatility. We love the Medium Everyday Hoops to throw on and go with jeans and a T-shirt, or even a more refined knit for a weeknight dinner with friends. For something more ceremonious, you can’t go wrong with the Audrey earrings.
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If you just need staples that are long-lasting but won't cost a fortune, just look to direct-to-consumer brand Mejuri. Based in Toronto, the label is committed to sustainability with its use of recycled gold, and its items are designed for everyday wear. “I recently bought the Beaded Huggie Hoops [finished] in 14K white gold, and the quality is fantastic despite the price being less than $150,” says Byrdie writer Alyssa Kaplan. “I've also purchased several 14K yellow gold rings from them over the years, and they've all remained in perfect condition." If you still have doubts, Mejuri’s two-year warranty should leave you assured.
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Etsy is a trove of unique jewelry treasures available within a wide price range, starting as low as $2. “I buy most of my jewelry off Etsy—mostly dainty necklaces and earrings—but I've also found really fun pieces for concerts and bachelorette parties,” says Senior Commerce Editor Shannon Bauer. “The quality is amazing, there are often options to customize, and I like supporting smaller makers. One of my favorites is Caitlyn Minimalist—I buy a custom "Word of the Year" necklace every year from her shop.”
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Swarovski, a century-old brand that specializes in luxury crystals, offers a wide selection of jewelry at price points under $300 (though some pieces run into the thousands, namely those in its lab-grown diamond collection). We love the brand’s latest fashion jewelry collections—Millenia, Dextera, and Idyllia—which boast some bold and oversize cuts in striking colors by the label’s first-ever creative director and former fashion editor Giovanna Battaglia Engelbert.
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Solange Azagury-Partridge founded her eponymous brand in 1990 by creating one-off pieces from her kitchen table. They were such a success that by the end of the decade, the designer had opened her first store, consisting of zingy baubles made with precious stones like rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, in London. She also created the Hotlips ring, an iconic design that ultimately went on display at London’s V&A Museum and became a mainstay in stylish women’s jewelry collections worldwide. You can shop all of Azagury-Partridge’s collections or commission a semi-bespoke Written ring in your chosen letters and metals, through her website.
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If you love unique designs, vintage appeal, and excellent customer service, Catbird is the store for you. The line is made in New York with ethically sourced and conflict-free gold and diamonds, according to the website, which has a slew of purchasing guides and resources to educate buyers on product care. Catbird also offers complimentary jewelry appointments, both in-person and virtual, to help customers navigate decisions related to styling and sizing.
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Missoma makes a collection of small and delicate pieces that pack a strong visual punch. Much of its work is gold-plated brass and sterling silver that looks truly rich against the skin. For layering, you can mix and match rings, necklaces, bracelets, or earrings, which fall within the range of $45–$200. You can also spring for an item from their fine jewelry line chock-full of diamond-encrusted huggies, pearl drop earrings, sapphire-dotted rings, and more.
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If you’re simply interested in the widest selection of jewels, Net-a-Porter has you covered. The online retailer offers fashion, semi-fine, and fine jewelry to accommodate all of its customers’ aesthetic needs and desired price points (it includes names like Roxanne Assoulin, Jennifer Fisher, Pomellato, and others that separately take up numbers on this list). It also has quick delivery and great customer service, though perhaps what we love most about the site is how quick it is to spotlight new talent and how seamlessly it mixes them with established designers.
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You've no doubt seen WOC-owned BonBonWhims in your Instagram feed recently (you can count Kylie Jenner, Olivia Rodrigo, and Megan Thee Stallion as fans, just to name a few). Clare Ngai launched the jewelry line in 2020, and it’s since become known for its chunky acrylic resin rings and Pop Drop earrings, which draw inspiration from Y2K nostalgia, vintage charms, and bright colors. Many are customizable, so you can really hone in on pieces that are true to your style.
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Lab-grown diamond jewelry and gemstone pieces are having a moment. VRAI creates diamonds at a metal-casting workshop in America's Pacific Northwest powered by the Columbia River (hydropower is a renewable source of energy). Not only that, but the brand uses only solid recycled gold, not gold plating or vermeil. One example is this eternity huggie made from 14K gold. We particularly like that the brand offers options for a partial and full eternity style to suit various budgets.
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If you're prone to infections and itchiness when it comes to earrings, try out Tini Lux. The brand boasts earrings with "pure, medical-grade metals" that are safe for the skin, lightweight, and, importantly, don't tarnish. And it has our rave review to back up its claim: "I have sensitive ears, so [my] hypoallergenic earrings from Tini Lux are perfect for all-day wear minus the irritation, says social media editor Jasmine Phillips. The site is user-friendly, too, and even has a virtual ear stack planning tool so you can visualize your piercings before you buy.
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Jameel Mohammed started his jewelry brand, Khiry, in 2016 while studying political science at the University of Pennsylvania and has been a rising star in the industry ever since. His Brooklyn-based brand honors imagery from the African diaspora in the form of contemporary vermeil (gilded silver or bronze) jewelry. A-listers like Selena Gomez and Angela Bassett have worn it, and Mohammed was a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist in 2021. You can see why — just take this bezel diamond ring, which balances a timeless setting with the shape of cattle horns.
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When former fashion stylist Jennifer Fisher went searching for a personal gift to commemorate the birth of her son, she was left feeling disappointed, like the market was filled exclusively with saccharine and insubstantial offerings. In turn, she made a talisman in 14K gold with just the right amount of heft—a move that propelled her into the world of jewelry design and would ultimately make her one of the most coveted brands. All of her styles are classic and versatile and come in plated brass, 14K gold, and 18K gold. Anything gold is demi-fine or fine jewelry and more expensive; however, it’s also more durable, which is critical if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t always remove jewelry when showering, swimming, or exercising. It’s also able to hold its value over time, which makes for a better investment.
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Fine jewelry brand Retrouvai was named after the French word retrovailles, which is defined as the happiness of reconnecting with someone or something from the past. Almost needless to say, the Los Angeles brand’s ethos is rooted in nostalgia and whimsicality. Its designs—which mix gold, diamonds, and precious gems into something unique for everyday wear—are all one-of-a-kind or made-to-order (i.e., made upon purchase, to avoid overproduction and reduce waste in the long run). It also offers a bespoke service, which customers can use to commission custom engagement rings and family heirlooms.
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In 2013, Stone and Strand founder and Wharton graduate Nadine McCarthy Kahane set out to build a brand that prioritized affordability, fine craftsmanship, and a female ethos. From an aesthetic perspective, Stone and Strand specializes in understated gold pieces and jewelry with small, natural, and conflict-free gemstones, mostly under $800. It also offers a bridal collection composed of vintage-inspired engagement rings and wedding bands.
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Shopping for an engagement ring online allows consumers to browse styles with ease, and Victor Barboné is a jewelry company that curates a selection of vintage engagement rings for shoppers to view online and in their New York City showroom. Rings purchased online are shipped complimentary, fully insured, and overnight shipped under an alias, according to the company’s website. When purchasing an engagement ring, Pantin stresses the importance of securing a GIA certification, or an official assessment of carat weight, cut, color, and clarity, “so you know exactly what you’re buying,” she says.
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Beaded jewelry is so hot right now, but all of the pieces out there aren’t created equal. That said, Don’t Let Disco’s art-inspired and hand-beaded jewelry tells a story to which you might want to lend an ear. The brand’s name is both a play on words (“don’t let this go”) and an indication of the founder Ashley Harris’ love for disco. The business first started as an archive of rare and beautiful objects collected by Harris (who was featured on The Stax for her personal jewelry staples). Today, the pieces are literal strings of treasures sourced from artisans worldwide.
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For a tight edit of distinctive and high-quality pieces at an attainable starting price point, look to ByGeorge, a fashion and lifestyle boutique headquartered in Austin. “ByGeorge has a really interesting curation of fine and semi-fine jewelry that is growing,” says Pantin. “It’s been so fun working on that edit with them.” We love that it features under-the-radar brands like Dévé and Nada Ghazal alongside more classic names like Marie-Hélène de Taillac and Spinelli Kilcollin.
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Nature and its natural elements serve as inspiration for Leigh Miller Newman's designs. The collection is full of undulating pieces made of recycled brass, bronze, sterling silver, rose gold, and yellow gold. There’s also a selection of pieces with semi-precious stones and hand-cast glass, the same material Josh Lucas’ character in "Sweet Home Alabama" built a homeware business around.
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The creators of Auroro have an honorable goal—to reduce the demand for mined gold and stones, a practice with major social and environmental consequences. While it does have an impressive selection of made-to-order pieces, crafted chiefly with recycled gold and vintage gems, we think its curation of one-of-a-kind pendants, rings, pins, and bracelets, all of which are estate or vintage pieces, makes it the best in this category.
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Embrace color and texture with Bea Bongiasca, a Milan-based brand known for candy-colored enamel and stone pieces that channel a summer camp aesthetic. The designer launched her namesake brand in 2013 after graduating from the prestigious design school, Central Saint Martins in London. We especially love her rings, which are playful and can feel more personalized when stacked.
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Mother-daughter duo Brinker and Eliza Higgins put their heads and professional experiences in metal-smithing and fashion merchandising together to start a jewelry collection rooted in whimsicality. Bold chains and charms dominate the line and can be worn on their own or layered for maximum impact, as influencers like Arielle Charnas and Whitney Port show on their Instagram accounts. Having tested the Nautical Link bracelet ourselves, it’s worth noting that each design comes in one size, with a standard total length of approximately 7.7 inches. This length cannot be adjusted, so if you have small wrists, they may not fit ideally.
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Completedworks designs semi-fine and fine jewelry using an environmentally conscious strategy of prioritizing recycled and fair-trade materials in the production process. (You can read their full pledge to sustainability, along with a breakdown of their design and production processes here.) Anna Jewsbury, a designer based in London, founded the company and is in charge of its creative direction. The brand takes pride in producing sculptural, robust, and aesthetically timeless pieces, like these Silver Clash earrings made from recycled sterling silver, platinum, and bio-resin.
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London-born Elizabeth Gage marries creativity and tradition for her jewelry collections, which admirers seek for her imaginative combinations of gemstones, enamel, and goldsmithing that have spoken through decades. “She’s so kind of classic and English, but I love her work,” says Lampley Berens, who treasures a gold and turquoise enamel zodiac ring her late mother bought for her 18th birthday.
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Looking to add more playful or nature-inspired pieces to your jewelry collection? Yam is the place to shop. It offers unique, handmade earrings, necklaces, and bracelets that are made in Queens, New York, by founder Morgan Thomas. Many of the items are either gold-plated or made with recycled brass (known for being both durable and sustainable), and often include pearls, millefiori glass, and beads as colorful accents.
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Austin-based Bell and Bird carefully sources and curates 18th- and 19th-century jewelry, from Edwardian old mine-cut diamond rings to colorful Victorian brooches, that are all viewable and purchasable via its website. However, the selection, which evolves based on demand for the one-of-a-kind items, also serves as inspiration for in-house designs.
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You've most likely seen jewelry from this brand on the cover of a fashion magazine or adorned by one of your favorite celebrities (think Gabrielle Union and Viola Davis), but Omi Woods was created to be even more than that. Inspired by founder Ashley Alexis McFarlane's Jamaican and West African heritage, these pieces were meant to become heirlooms that multiple generations could wear. An assortment of statement necklaces and rings, pieces are handmade with African fair trade gold and recycled metals.
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Sustainability is top of mind for New York City-based brand Agmes, which prioritizes the use of fine materials and recycled metals—even reusing any scrap metal that is left over to create even more pieces. Their jewelry is simple and sculptural, playing with shape in a way that somehow looks both classic and original. Each piece is handmade, and many are made to order with a weeks-long delivery time, so be sure to read the details section of each piece.
What to Look for When Buying Jewelry Online
- Material: Jewelry can be made from a myriad of metals and gemstones. Different materials cater to different needs and preferences, so keep this in mind as you search the web for your new jewels. If you want something durable, perhaps look at 14K gold, platinum, or cobalt; in terms of stones, diamonds rank a 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, so they’re also hardwearing. Softer stones require extra care and cannot be worn daily, as they’re much less resistant to the elements.
- GIA Certification: Stones are graded based on color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. These determinations ultimately play a role in the value of your diamond. Even when working with reputable retailers, it’s important to view the GIA certification of the stone(s) in question, lest you be misquoted on the price of an item or need to resell it later.
- Aesthetic: Discovering pieces that best fit your taste and lifestyle is paramount to your experience and, well, the whole point of your shopping endeavor. “Buying fine jewelry, whatever your budget is, is an investment relative to your life and something that you want. We see it as committing to getting a tattoo. You’re probably going to wear this thing for a long time, pass it down to your kids, and have it forever,” Pantin points out.
- Customer Service: Whether you're buying for yourself or looking for a jewelry gift for someone special, great customer service, even in the e-commerce space, can make a big difference in your shopping experience. Given that most jewelry purchases are personal ones, you want to be sure that the company exhibits good communication and patience with its customers throughout the process of selecting an item, sizing, and delivery, should you experience any issues.
Why Trust Byrdie
Hayley Prokos, Byrdie’s former Associate Fashion Commerce Editor, wrote this article. She combed through countless selections and online reviews and spoke to the below experts to help compile this list of the best online jewelry stores for many kinds of shoppers.
- Victoria Lampley Berens is a public relations consultant and founder of jewelry consultancy The Stax Advisory.
- Laurel Pantin is Austin-based luxury boutique ByGeorge's editor-at-large and the former Style Director at InStyle. She has also worked at The Stax Advisory.
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